Government moving towards "treatment phase"

[kiwibird]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8130097.stm
Swine flu policy shift expected
Tamiflu
The drug has been offered to those with close contact to swine flu

The government is set to signal a shift in policy in its fight against swine flu, the BBC understands.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham will give a statement to the House of Commons later saying the UK will be moving to the "treatment phase".

It means health officials will no longer test everyone with symptoms.

Instead, they will be told to stay at home while arrangements are made for them to get anti-viral drugs. It is not clear when these changes will kick in.

The impending move does not mean the pandemic virus is becoming more deadly, just that it can no longer be contained.

Containment

Some parts of the UK, including Birmingham, London and Glasgow, where there have been the largest outbreaks have already started doing this.

But most of the country has still been operating under what is known as the "containment" phase.

This involves people having swab tests taken by GPs or other health officials and their close contacts being chased up and offered drugs in a bid to stop it spreading.

The shift has long been anticipated by health experts.

Last month Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson had said the containment phase had lasted much longer than the flu contingency plan had envisaged.

There have been nearly 7,000 confirmed cases in the UK since the outbreak first started and three deaths.

However, it is thought there will have been a number of people who did not get a formal diagnosis because their symptoms were so mild.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Government moving towards "treatment phase"

July 2, 2009

Britain faces 100,000 swine flu cases a day

(HO/Reuters)

Cases of the H1N1 virus are doubling each week

David Rose

More than 100,000 swine flu cases could be diagnosed every day by the end of next month, the Health Secretary has warned.

Britain has moved past the stage of containing the swine flu outbreak and into the “treatment phase”, Andy Burnham told the House of Commons.

Mr Burnham stressed that most people developed only mild illness but anyone with flu-like symptoms will now be advised to stay at home and telephone their GP for advice.

Mr Burnham said that cases of the H1N1 virus are doubling each week in Britain and could reach six figures by the end of August, if current trends continue.

Doctors have previously warned that “several million” people could become ill as the flu season returns in the autumn and winter.

“We have reached the next stage in management of the disease,” Mr Burnham said.

“The national focus will be on treating the increasing numbers affected by swine flu.

“We will move to this treatment phase across the UK with immediate effect.”

The latest figures show that there are now 7,447 laboratory-confirmed cases in the UK, with most cases being recorded in the West Midlands, London and Scotland.

So far only three people, all with pre-existing health conditions, have died after testing positive for the H1N1 flu strain which has caused a global pandemic.

London and the West Midlands have already had sufficiently high numbers to move towards a policy of outbreak management. Under the strategy people are clinically diagnosed with swine flu rather than being tested. Schools are also kept open if pupils or staff fall ill.

Mr Burnham added that the 100,000 figure was “only a projection”, but last week saw a “considerable rise” in swine flu cases.

“There are now on average several hundred new cases every day,” Mr Burnham said.

“Our efforts during the containment phase have given us precious time to learn more about the virus.

“We have always known it would be impossible to contain the virus indefinitely and at some point we would need to move away from containment to treatment.”

He added: “We have now signed contracts to secure enough vaccine for the whole population.”

The first will become available next month, with 60 million doses available by the end of the year.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article6623554.ece